Beekeepers performing regular spring inspections when temperatures permit, should notice the clues that their colonies are ready to split to potentially avoid swarming. Spring buildup, especially when supercharged with pollen patties and sugar syrup feeding, can create crowding which is one of the triggers for swarming. If you have bees covering most of the frames in one brood box and half the frames in your other brood box the quantity of bees is increasing to the point of swarming so you may want to start to consider a split.
If the colony’s winter stores are still in abundance or the bees are storing the sugar syrup that the beekeeper is offering and the queen is rapidly laying, the second swarm trigger, congestion, can occur. With congestion, the queen is running out of space to lay thus triggering that urge to swarm.
Add both crowding and congestion to regular daytime temperatures in the upper 50’s/lower 60’s, increasing drone populations and a flurry of Queen Cup (or Emergency Cell) building and the conditions may dictate that swarming may be occurring soon.
By splitting your hive you may be able to avoid the loss of your Queen and a large portion of your workers to a neighboring bush or tree while the scouts are out looking for a new home such as a nearby hollow tree or maybe your neighbor’s hollow deck post, their soffit or perhaps a wall. Even if you perform a split, you can’t be assured that the colony still won’t swarm, especially if swarm cells are under construction. It is not uncommon for 20% of colonies to swarm despite the beekeeper’s efforts to quell the urge to swarm.
Don’t forget to remind family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors and local government organizations that honey bees tend to swarm and if they encounter a swarm they can always call the Statewide Toll Free Swarm Hotline at 1-844-SPY-BEES (1-844-779-2337). Dispatchers from CSBA’s Affiliated Bee Associations and Clubs will usually have a Beekeeper on site within 30 – 45 minutes to Rescue the Swarm. CSBA offers the SPY-BEE hotline as a Service to the General Public and as a Benefit to the CSBA Membership. Contact your local Bee Association or Club to get on the Swarm List for your area.
Remember, swarms will be flying soon! As a conscientious beekeeper, perform splits to help avoid swarms but also be ready to jump into action to rescue the bees if you get a swarm call!